On December 20, 2012, our 33-year-old client was stopped at a stop sign in a parking lot in Chino, California checking for oncoming traffic before proceeding. Unfortunately, the driver behind him was not paying attention and assumed our client was going to move into the intersection. While looking to the left for oncoming traffic, this negligent driver moved forward toward the intersection, colliding with our client’s vehicle in a rear-end collision.

The accident caused only minor damage to our client’s vehicle. However, within hours of the crash, he began to feel lower back pain.

Our Client Went Through Years of Treatment for Back and Neck Injuries

Our client went to the emergency room on the day of the crash. There, he was told to take over-the-counter pain medication and to see his doctor if his symptoms did not improve. Unfortunately, our client continued to experience back pain. Two months of chiropractic treatment did little to relieve his high level of pain.

During this time period, he was also treated by an orthopedic surgeon, who ordered MRIs of our client’s neck and lower back. The MRIs showed a number of bulging disks. Because our client had a smaller spinal cord than most people, he was also at risk of developing spinal stenosis—a painful condition that puts pressure on the spinal cord and nerves that travel from the spinal cord to a person’s arms and legs.

On the advice of his doctor, our client continued with conservative treatments. This included four months of physical therapy and a lumbar steroid injection in 2013 with no results. Our client continued to experience lower back and neck pain that radiated to his arms and legs. On June 2, 2014, he had decompression surgery, which only provided some relief.

Unfortunately, these injuries have had long-term consequences in our client’s life. He owns a western wear business with his wife. Despite the constant pain, he forced himself to go to work as often as he could because he felt it was his duty to provide for his family.

However, our client found this difficult because he could no longer stand up straight or do the things he took for granted, such as tying his own shoelaces. Jogging and exercising at a gym became impossible and our client gained 10 unwanted pounds. The pain kept him up at night, and he began having problems sleeping. Worries about how to pay for his mounting medical expenses and coping with the chronic pain caused him to become depressed. Even after the surgery, he has needed pain medications and physical therapy to manage his symptoms.

One of the biggest challenges in this case was convincing the negligent driver’s insurance company that an accident causing such minor vehicle damage could cause our client to suffer these injuries. Many attorneys would not have taken this case or would have given up and settled for a substantially lower sum in order to not have to do the work necessary to obtain a favorable recovery. However, Peter Steinberg and his legal team understood that our client—a new business owner—was really suffering and could not afford health insurance. He needed the settlement he was entitled to for his expensive medical treatments.

Peter Steinberg and his legal team decided the best strategy would be to aggressively litigate the case. This turned out to be a smart move. They filed suit, engaged in discovery, and took needed depositions. The insurance company—like it often did—continued to argue the accident could not have caused so much damage, especially since our client had once been a boxer.

However, the Steinberg legal team didn’t give up. When they threatened to take the case to trial, the insurance company caved in and agreed to settle this case for $350,000. This settlement gives our client peace of mind, knowing that he has the funds he will need in the future to pay for medical treatments for his back and neck injuries.

If you were injured in a rear-end collision or other car accident, call our experienced attorneys at 800-989-6385 or start an online chat to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation.